The Best of Santa Claus Movies

Santa Claus (1985)

Release in 1985. It was the last major fantasy film, produced by the Paris-based father-and-son production team of Alexander and Ilya Salkind. Released in North America on November 27, 1985 by Tri-Star Pictures, the film was a straightforward, nondenominational attempt to explore the mysteries of Santa Claus, the key objective being to answer some of the most basic questions many children have about Santa: How do his reindeer fly? How did Santa and his wife make it to the North Pole? How does he manage to go up the chimneys?
The first half of this film, set hundreds of years ago, shows how the old man who eventually became Santa Claus was given immortality and chosen to deliver toys to all the children of the world. The second half moves into the modern era, in which Patch, the head elf, strikes out on his own and falls in with an evil toy manufacturer who wants to corner the market and eliminate Santa Claus . More about this movie can be found here



Santa Claus is coming to Town(1970)

The story of how Santa Claus came to be is brought to life through the magic of stop-motion animation in this Christmas-themed production for the family. A friendly postman explains how friendly Kris Kringle a foundling taken in by a family of toymakers, took it upon himself to bring some happiness to the children of Sombertown, despite the grumpy opposition of Burgermeister Meisterburger and the Winter Warlock Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town was directed and produced by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr., who created another popular animated story of the season, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.

Santa Vs Snowman (3D ) 2002

Santa vs. the Snowman is a half-hour computer-animated short, created by O Entertainment and produced by Steve Oedekerk. Originally made as a television special, the film was later presented in IMAX 3D theaters during the holiday season of 2002 and 2003. It was released on DVD by Universal Studios. The package included 3D glasses, and the program offered optional 2D or 3D viewing. Despite three bonus features including an interactive game narrated by Oedekerk, the DVD lacked any kind of featurette or commentary. The film featured the voice talents of Jonathan Winters, Ben Stein, Victoria Jackson, Marc Decarlo, and David Floyd.More..

Origin of Santa Claus

Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Santy, or simply Santa is a gift-giving figure in various cultures who distributes presents to children, traditionally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to the Santa Claus character. The popular American form Santa Claus originated as a mispronounciation of Dutch Sinterklaas, which is a contracted form of Sint Nicolaas (Saint Nicholas).
Santa Claus is a variation of a European folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, a bishop from Myra that is now present-day Turkey, who gave presents to the poor. His charity became legend when a man lost his fortune and found himself incapable of supporting his three daughters, who would not be able to find husbands as they lacked doweries. This man was going to give them over to a life prostitution, however St. Nicholas provided them with gold, enabling them to retain their virginal virtues and marry.

Christmas Celebrations in United States

The United States of America integrates different elements from different places in its Christmas celebrations. The Christmas tree tradition comes from Germany, parades from Latin America, carols from the English and Australians, Santa Claus from the Europeans and more. Apart from the general celebration with feasting, caroling, decorating and gift-giving, each family in the US has their individual Christmas celebrations. And even the traditions vary from one place to another within the US. In Washington DC for instance, there’s this central celebration with lighting of the tree on the Ellipse. Here you’ll find one big tree (which represents the nation) and other smaller trees (standing for other states). In New Orleans, caroling is the focus of Christmas—thousands throng the Jackson Square each year on Christmas to have a huge group/ community caroling around big bonfires lit along the river Mississippi. The oldest city in the US, St. Augustine, Florida, has the whole of the city lit up in white lights on Christmas. No lights except white are allowed on Christmas. Then again, many Americans love to hit Hollywood, California to treat their eyes to the annual Parade of Stars, while others entertain themselves at Christmas concerts or caroling festivities in and around the cities.

In the South Western part of America, one Christmas day custom is to light the pathway to their doors with ‘luminaries’, which are paper bags or lanterns with designs cut on them and candles placed inside to give out a glow of good tidings all around. In some parts of the States, people even spend Christmas attending Church services on Christmas Eve or in the morning of Christmas. Churches are often wonderfully decorated on Christmas with poinsettias, Christmas evergreens and Nativity scenes. Get-togethers with friends, folks or sweetheart are quite common in the States on Christmas, and are often followed by a sumptuous traditional Christmas dinner comprising of roasted turkey/ goose, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pies, fruitcakes, plum puddings and more.

Christmas Customs and Traditions

The Christmas holiday abounds in interesting customs and traditions. Some of these Christmas customs and traditions are wholeheartedly religious, while others are secular and relaxed. Some countries also have a national flavor in their customs of Christmas. So evidently, the customs and traditions of Christmas are neither singular nor homogenous all over the world. These keep varying from region to region, and from country to country. Popular Christmas traditions such as the exchanging of gifts, decorating the Christmas tree, the Yule log, the holly bough, the kissing under mistletoe etc are more or less common to all places.

Common Christian Traditions

In Christian countries, Christmas has become the most significant holiday of the year, economically speaking. Christmas is celebrated for a span of twelve days following December 25 in the United Kingdom. This twelve-day Christmas tradition is marked by huge celebration and feasting and ends on the Twelfth Night or the Feast of the Epiphany. This custom of elongating the Christmas celebrations is gaining popularity by the year. Christmas celebrations begin weeks before the actual day in the United States and the United Kingdom to lengthen the shopping season of Christmas and also to allow more time for meetings and greetings.
The countries celebrating Christmas on December 25, call the day before ‘Christmas eve’ and the day after by varying names. Some like Germany, Poland call it the Second Christmas Day, some Commonwealth countries call the day after Christmas ‘Boxing Day’ while the Irish and Romanians call it St. Stephen’s Day. Some pagan Christmas customs and traditions have been incorporated by some Christian missionaries into their celebration of Christmas.

Religious Christmas Traditions

With all the boisterous celebration of Christmas staying fine, Christmas is still observed as a chiefly religious holiday for many people across the globe. It is the time for soul-searching, spiritual renewal, silent prayers, reading out quotes from the Bible, seeking religious blessings and wishing joys and good tidings to everyone for the days to come. The ceremonies are much toned down in a religious celebration of Christmas. Carols and hymns are sung in the churches and in homes, funds are raised for a good cause, volunteer works are conducted and people visit friends, neighbors and dear ones’ places for get-togethers and traditional Christmas meals. The air’s filled with a sweet peacefulness and warmth. A sense of joy and well-being reverberates all around. People wish each other peace, prosperity, happiness and a very ‘Merry Christmas’.

The religious customs and traditions of Christmas begin with Advent (the day when Jesus Christ’s birth was anticipated). This is around early December. Customs and traditions of this religious celebration include Advent carols and calendars, sometimes also candies and other goodies for the children. Midnight mass or a Mass of the Nativity, featuring Christmas carols, prayers and hymns, are usually held on the Christmas Eve and on the Christmas Day.

Why Christmas is Celebrated on 25th December

Now ever wondered why Christmas is celebrated on December 25 ? Is it the day when Jesus Christ was born ? Well, nobody knows for sure exactly when Christ was born. There had been a lot of dispute over fixing December 25 as Christmas. In the 2nd century A.D, Hippolytus claimed this day as Christ's birthday. Then January 6 was declared by the Eastern Church as the day of His birth. Finally, in 350 A.D, the Bishop of Rome, Pope Julius I, fixed December 25 as the official day for Christmas. This date, the day of the winter solstice, was wisely chosen with the intention to outweigh the popular pagan Roman holiday of Saturnalia.
Jesus Christ's coming to this world was predicted by the prophets years before His birth. The Old Testament has in it, over 300 such prophecies. And, you'll be truly surprised to know that all of these proved true—from Christ's miraculous birth, His sinless life, His atrocious death to his astounding resurrection.